Sega’s CEO confirms that the company will no longer make mini retro consoles, such as a potential Dreamcast Mini
- Shuji Utsumi, CEO of Sega America and Europe, discussed the company’s philosophy in a recent interview
- He stated that Sega “has to be innovative” to stay relevant
- He also confirmed that there will be no more mini retro consoles
In bad news for retro gaming enthusiasts, Sega America and Europe CEO Shuji Utsumi has suggested that the company will no longer make mini retro consoles.
The words come from a recent interview with The Guardian in which Utsumi discusses the company’s current philosophy. “Gamers loved Sega because we showed gamers a new style, attitude and lifestyle,” he said. “I want to bring back that feeling. But we are not just a nostalgic company, we have to be innovative.”
This approach seems evident in Sega’s recent output, which has included a number of successful new titles such as Metaphor: ReFantazio in addition to new entries in long-running, favorite franchises such as Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble. The company has also seen success in its multimedia efforts, with the new Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie already doing well at the box office.
When asked if the company would develop new mini consoles, presumably as a successor to the popular Sega Genesis (or Sega Mega Drive for those outside the US) Mini, he simply replied: “I’m not going the mini direction. It’s not me. I want to embrace modern gamers.”
The Guardian also states that Sega then clarified that this meant there are currently no plans for any more mini consoles, which will be a bit of a disappointment for anyone looking forward to a potential Sega Dreamcast Mini or Sega Saturn Mini.
Still, Utsumi ends the interview by restating his progressive position. “We are not a retro company,” he says. “We really value our legacy, we appreciate it, but at the same time we want to deliver something new – otherwise we will become history.”